Employers in Colorado added 5,500 nonfarm payroll jobs from February to March for a total of 2,594,300 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 5,300 and government increased 200.

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point in March to 2.9 percent. The number of people actively participating in the labor force increased 15,700 to 2,877,300 and total employment increased 17,000 to 2,793,600 causing the number of unemployed to decrease 1,300 and the unemployment rate to decline to 2.9 percent. The national unemployment rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point over the same period to 5.0 percent.

Over the year, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls decreased from 34.4 to 33.2 hours and average hourly earnings increased from $26.81 to $27.35.

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in construction and leisure and hospitality. The largest over the month private sector job declines were in mining and logging and professional and business services.

Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 71,000 with an increase of 61,800 in the private sector and an increase of 9,200 in government. The largest private sector job gains were in leisure and hospitality, education and health services, and construction. Mining and logging declined over the year.

Over the year, the unemployment rate is down one and one-tenth of a percentage point from 4.0 percent and is at the lowest level since it was 2.8 percent in February 2001. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force increased 56,800, total employment increased 86,900 and the number of unemployed decreased 30,200. The national unemployment rate declined from 5.5 percent in March 2015 to 5.0 percent in March 2016.

The following are unemployment percentages for southeast Colorado counties: